


Love's under lock and key

by creative_soul



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Riverdale, barchie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:15:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29320008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creative_soul/pseuds/creative_soul
Summary: Seven years have past since Betty left Riverdale behind. Seven years have passed since she last saw Jughead, Veronica and Archie... but now here she is seven years later on the steps of Thistle House.
Relationships: Archie Andrews & Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper, Barchie - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42





	Love's under lock and key

She’s not really sure how she ended up on the steps of Thistle House. Kevin had been nagging her to come with him and Fangs to Cheryl’s welcome home party, insisting that it would do her good to get away from her murder boards back at the office. To be honest, her job is the only consistent thing going on in her life right now, she really enjoys the distraction. He didn’t seem to really take her pleading no for an answer. So here she is, waiting out in the cold wearing a short silky dress that was definitely not meant for these temperatures but Cheryl’s a stickler for dress codes and if she was going to have to attend, she sure wasn’t going to be heckled by Cheryl all night for wearing a jumper and jeans.

Before she knows it, she’s walking into the large front room surrounded by old friends. The same old friends from seven years ago, except this time they all looked a bit older, a bit wiser and there were even some new people she didn’t recognise too. She’d seen everyone a few times briefly over the past couple of weeks, but this would be the first time that they could properly catch up with each other. 

It’s funny, they were once some of her closest friends and now they felt like strangers. One red headed stranger in particular she notices probably too quickly, talking to Reggie across the room. God, she missed him. The one person who can make her feel 16 again, as if she was standing behind the frames of her childhood bedroom window. Except now he’s got a little scar near his eye, he’s a bit more built (if that’s even possible?), his hairs a bit shorter too but he’s still her Archie. These thoughts don’t help her. She’s heading to the drinks table; she’s decided she’s going to need a glass of wine or three if she’s going to get through the first ten minutes of this thing. As she pours out a glass of red, Cheryl’s voice starts booming into the room.

“Alright you sad clowns, I didn’t invite you all here tonight so we could sit and wallow in our own thoughts. I’m in the mood for some chaos and have prepared a little fun for tonight’s soiree. The ladies in this room will each receive a bracelet with a lock. The keys to those locks are all in this bowl. The men in this room will be picking a key out of the bowl, you’ll then spend the rest of the evening trying to find which key unlocks which lock, whoever is matched gets to take that person home with them at the end of the night. And since there aren’t enough men, I’ll be picking a key too” Cheryl finishes off, staring directly at Toni with a wide smirk. 

Betty’s already regretting even coming over to Cheryl’s at this point, she’s looking round the room for an exit, a swift getaway when none other than Reggie Mantle appears right in front of her. 

“What’s up Cooper?” 

“Reggie” she can feel Archie’s glaring eyes on her from the corner of the room and tries to ignore the feeling that’s rising inside her. Is he jealous? He’s currently caught up in some sort of discussion with Veronica and Chad…god Chad, of all the people Veronica could have married, she had to marry a Chad. 

“So FBI huh? That’s pretty hot Cooper”

“Yeh, murder investigations and psycho killers tend to be sexy Reggie” god, she’s currently thinking of a million excuses to go and tell Cheryl.

“Whatever, wanna find out if you’ll be taking the Reggie express home tonight?” he winks at her. At this point she’d rather keep the lock on her wrist for the rest of her life. Not that he’s not attractive, it’s just, well, its Reggie.  
“Just stick it in Reg and get it over with”

“Don’t have to ask me twice Cooper” he gives her his trademark smirk and shoves the key into the lock. No luck. She’s sighing in relief. 

“Alright, well unfortunately for you, I guess you’ll never know what it’s like to spend the night with me” and with that he’s winking and walking away to badger Veronica. It turns out that despite seven years having passed, some things or people for that matter never change. 

She’s walking over to the drinks table again and this time pouring a double scotch, throwing it back, enjoying the way it’s burning her throat. If she’s being honest with herself, she hasn’t been sleeping much since being back in Riverdale. As she looks over the room, she can see Jughead talking to a girl she doesn’t recognise, Tabitha she thinks she heard Kevin mention earlier. Seeing Jug without his beanie is just another reminder that they’ve gotten older. She is happy for him though, he managed to write a best seller and she’s proud. She wants to tell him, but she thinks that maybe that’s not the best idea right now. Just as she’s pouring a second glass, she hears him….

“Hey” Archie’s already approaching her. she feels as though the room just got a little more heated.

“Archie…” god she’s missed him, she’s really tried to suppress that feeling she gets when he’s around but she’s failing and now he’s stood looking her up and down… is he aware of how obvious he’s being? 

“How’ve you been? Haven’t seen you around much lately, feel like you’re avoiding me” he breaths. 

“I…I’ve been busy, work and such, cases don’t solve themselves Arch…” she laughs nervously, she can see he’s not buying it, they both know each other too well. 

They’re both staring at each other now, she’s bringing the glass back up to her lips, the same lips he’s staring at. This would be a good time for Kevin to jump in and help her out but he’s in a corner somewhere deep in conversation with Fangs. Great. 

“So no luck with Reggie and his key huh?” Well, at least he’s talking again. 

“No, I guess I lucked out with that one, I’m not sure I could spend a night with Reggie” 

“So, who do you think you could spend a night with?” He’s looking at her again. She throws back the second glass.

“A little forward Andrews, don’t you think?” ok so he’s definitely flirting now, she’s not just overthinking it. 

“Just curious…I mean Ronnie’s married, Jug’s just got out of a relationship, what about you? I feel like I’ve caught up with everyone since we all left Riverdale… but you, Betty, you’re still a mystery.”

“Well, some mysteries are better left unsolved…believe me” 

She can see he's thinking about his next words carefully but before he gets the chance to reply Veronica's heading her way with Chad in toe. “Betty! I thought it was time I properly introduced the both of you, Chad this is my best girl from High School, Betty Cooper” Chad’s holding his hand out to her “Pleasure to finally meet you. Veronica here has told me a lot about you, especially your impressive knowledge in motor engineering, I’ve got an old Firebird if you’re ever interested in fixing her up” Well, maybe he isn’t that bad, although Archie’s already making a swift exit from the group to talk to Reggie.

“well, I spend most my time in the office these days, but I’d love to take a look at her one day for sure” she gives him a quick smile and can see how much V appreciates it. As long as she’s happy, Betty doesn’t mind being civil to the guy, even if he is a wall street ass.

She spends the next couple of hours catching up with old friends, pouring drinks and trying a few more unsuccessful keys. 

She’s starting to feel the buzz of the alcohol take effect. She doesn’t mind it, in fact she quite likes it until she’s stumbling over the corner of Cheryl’s stupid rug falling to the ground with a thud and her glass of wine smashing into her hand, a shard cutting into her skin. Suddenly the room is quiet, and all eyes are on her. She’s sure this is the moment she wishes the Black Hood, or the Gargoyle King would just come back to finish her off. 

“Oh dear Cousin, I see you’re as agile as always’ Cheryl snides whilst fetching a waiter to clear the mess. But then Archie’s rushing over, like the knight in armour he always is, concern spread all over his face, helping her to her feet.

“Still as clumsy as always after a few drinks I see” he’s laughing, which makes her feel a little less like her pride just splattered all over the living room floor. 

“Yeh, scotch probably wasn’t the best choice of drink” she tries to laugh it off but winces at the sudden rush of pain from her hand, looking down at shard of glass pointing out and a rush of blood meeting the newly cut surface. 

“Looks bad Betty…come here, let get that cleaned up” Before she knows it, Archie’s grabbing her hand and leading her into the kitchen grabbing a first aid kit from the side cupboard. Somehow having his hand in hers is numbing the pain from the broken glass. 

So here she is, sat up on the table watching as Archie rummages through the box to find a bandage. Did she now regret drinking those last couple of glasses? absolutely. She thinks it's funny that after seven years apart, they're currently sat in silence.

“So you’re back from fighting, for good?” she asks hesitantly.

“Yeh, looks like it. Honourably discharged and all that”. 

“Are you glad?”

“I don’t know. I am glad to be back here, feels like it was meant to be. Like I was meant to come back and save this damn town, if not for me or for us, for my dad”.

She’s looking away now. It’s been so long since she’s thought about Fred. Sometimes the pain really is easier to forget. Turns out that no amount of time can take away the grief. 

“What about you? Kevin tells me you go by Agent Cooper these days?”

“well, seems I have knack for tracking down serial killers, who’d have thought” they’re both laughing now. 

There’s a silence settling between them. Archie’s wrapping a bandage around her hand. And after what feels like the longest minute in Betty’s life, Archie finally breaks it.

“May as well try the lock while we’re here, right?” he’s almost whispering to her. 

He slowly takes her wrist and holds it up, Betty’s breath hitches at the touch of his hand on hers once again. Taking his key and twisting it inside the lock until finally, the clasp releases. 

They’re both staring at each other, neither trusting the close proximity that they’ve now found themselves in. 

Still grasping her wrist, Archie whispers “Looks like I get to take you home tonight”. 

Betty’s at a loss for words, her eyes never leaving his, her breath unsteady. She wonders how her face got so close to his, their lips inches apart, she can feel the warmth of his breath. Her eyes finally deceiving her and looking down at his lips which are now almost grazing against hers. And just when she thinks her souls about to leave her body, Kevin’s barging in through the door and suddenly the close proximity she found herself and Archie in is shattered. 

Of course, now Kevin chooses to come in and interrupt but this time she’s not so sure she wanted him to.

Thing’s between her and Archie feel different now they’re both older. Sure, he’s the same red head she’s always known him to be, but she can’t explain this newfound tension that seem to sweep the air every time she’s alone with him. She’s not sure if she’s willing to test the waters, she’s just got him back, her best friend, back in her life after several years and she’s not sure she is prepared to put that in jeopardy again. Kevin’s talking at her a million miles a minute and Archie seems to have disappeared out of the room. 

Betty’s walking back into the front room with Kevin, her eyes searching for the one guy that seems to have taken over her thoughts. 

“uh huh, sure Kev, yeh that sounds great” Kevin’s looking at her with a frustrated sigh. “Betty why aren’t you listening to single word I’m saying?” it’s then she sees that he’s clocked she’s no longer wearing the lock around her wrist. “Wait, did Archie? Did he have your key?” 

“Kev” She’s not sure what she’s thinking right now, should she be going back home with Archie? This is her best friend; they’ve known each other their whole lives and this seems like a really bad idea the more she thinks it over. Kevin, on the other hand, is freaking her out more. “Oh my god, does that mean he’s taking you home? Betty Cooper, what a ride it’s been but we’re finally here” he laughs. He’s not helping matters at all.  
“I don’t think I can go back with him” Kevin’s looking at her as if she’s grown two heads. “Are you insane Betty? Everyone in this room has watched you two dance around each other all night, hell for most of your lives and you’re telling me you’re not going home with him tonight? I never thought I’d say this to you but Betty, you’re an idiot, no offence”. 

Betty’s glaring at him now. And just as she’s about to try and rationalise her feelings, Cheryl’s declaring an end to her soiree. “Well well well, looks like all locks have now been opened and it’s time to end this little lovers soiree, if you're not out within the next 10 minutes, I'll be physically removing you.”. And with that Cheryl's walking away hand in hand with Toni.

Archie’s walking over to her as Kevin’s giving her a quick hug muttering something about good luck and giving her a wink before leaving with Fangs. “Ready to go?” he sounds a little nervous which doesn't seem in character for him.

She’s got this funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she can’t help thinking that if Archie’s key hadn’t worked, she would be feeling something rather different. She’s not sure she could watch Archie walk out the door with someone else. 

They’re walking back to Elm Street, a walk so familiar to them but oh so new now they’re much older than the last time they walked these familiar paths. The cold is pretty sobering which she decides is a good thing, she’s going to need a clear head for when they reach their houses. She’s not sure how it’s going to go.

As they’re reaching the path to Archie’s house, he nervously turns to her, eyes wild with the reflection of the moonlight. “Bett’s, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do”

Maybe being drunk would have been better for this situation, she’s regretting not drinking more now…“It’s not, no, it’s not that I don’t…”

He’s looking at her intently, “So you do want to…”

“No…yes…no, I don’t know” God, she’s not sure she’s ever been this confused in her life. She wants him, she knows she does, but common sense is screaming at her to say goodnight and walk the few steps it would take to get to her own front door. 

Archie’s starting to get irritated with her, she knows him too well. “Then what do you want?”

There’s a thick silence in the air. Betty’s shivering, but this time she sure it’s not from the cold. 

“I’m scared” she finally admits.

“Scared of what Betty?” 

“Scared of losing you Archie, of losing us, this. The last time we kissed, we didn’t see each other for seven years. Do you know how hard it’s been, not being able to talk to my best friend? not knowing where the fuck you were? If you were even still alive?” …she’s breathing frantically, she doesn’t want to think back to that time in her life, a time where she was desperately hoping her best friend was still out there, somewhere safe… “I already lost you once Arch, I don’t want to lose you again”.

There, she’s said it. She can’t do anything now.  
Archie’s looking at her as if she’d just slapped him in the face. He’s raising his voice at her now, something he never does.

“Betty, do you really think that it’s been easy for me? That it was an easy decision for me joining the army? God, I’ve missed you every day since I got on that damn bus out of here. But you had Jughead, you chose Jughead. You think I didn’t regret how we left things? You really think I’d forget about you and just move on, that I’d really do that? …because I thought about you, every fucking day. And believe me, now you’re back here with me, I’m not letting you go again”. 

She’s not sure what to say to that, “I don’t, I don’t want to do something we can’t go back on” she whispers as if defeated. 

“We’re in our twenties Betty, we’re allowed to have fun, this isn’t High School anymore”. 

“And what happens if we start something, what happens if it doesn’t work out? What then?”

“Betty you’re putting a lot of focus on the what if’s, but the truth is we’ll never know unless we try. I get it, I get that you’re scared, hell I’m scared but If there’s something I’m certain of, it’s that I never want to spend another day without you in my life”

The truth is she thinks that might be all she’s wanted to hear, ever since they were little. Archie’s love for her. That he never wants to spend the rest of his life without her. Here he is, her best friend, finally ready to commit to her, all these years later, except this time they’re on his doorstep instead of hers. 

“You’re my best friend Arch…I don’t want to ruin that” Betty says, desperately searching for empty excuses 

He’s staring at her with such intent, taking a couple of steps towards her.

“We haven’t been friends for a long time Betty, and you know it” He looks at her, his voice low, almost a whisper.

Inches apart, Archie breaks the distance between them.

Before she knows it, Archies pinning her up against his front door, frantically trying to put the key in the door whilst the other hand is on her neck. His lips on hers. Why she was trying to find excuses for this, god, she doesn’t know, maybe Kevin’s right, maybe she is an idiot after all. They’re crashing through his door and Archie’s picking her up against the wall, trailing kisses down her neck and she feels as though she’s about to lose it.

Pulling back for a brief moment, huskily Archie asks her “You sure you want to ruin the friendship?”

Betty’s finding it hard to concentrate on forming words, but she manages “s’too late, friendships already ruined” through a faint whisper.

That’s all Archie needs to hear before he’s grabbing her hand and pulling her up the stairs, discarding his top, his jeans and her sexy silky dress which he thinks if possible, looks even better draped on his bedroom floor. 

Betty’s not sure why they wasted all those years, but as she’s lying beside Archie in his bed the next morning, she knows that she won’t be waiting another seven years again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! 
> 
> Thanks so much for taking the time to read! This is just a little one shot inspired by different rumours and theories that have been circulating about Barchie in Season 5 - couldn't resist!
> 
> Please let me know if you enjoyed it and would potentially like another one?
> 
> Thanks, creative_soul :)


End file.
